The present invention relates to a process for producing N-phosphonomethylglycine and specifically to a process in which the starting material is N-phosphonomethyl-2-oxazolidone.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,324 discloses a process for producing N-phosphonomethylglycine by a process in which N-phosphonomethyl-2-oxazolidone is reacted with an aqueous solution of alkali metal hydroxide in the presence of cadmium oxide as a catalyst and thereafter acidifying the reaction product to generate the acid.
Reproduction of the only example provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,324 gave a relatively low yield, (40.2%), of glyphosate. The process as described in the above patent is, therefore, somewhat inefficient. In addition it permits the use of only cadmium oxide as catalyst.
A process has now been discovered that improves significantly on the process in U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,324 permitting an improved yield and reduced reactant requirements and a broader selection of catalysts.